Since time immemorial domestic cats and humans have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship. In exchange for food and shelter, the cat provides its host with companionship and controls mice, rats and other vermin. For many years, cats primarily resided in barns, granaries, and other out-buildings on their host's property. However, as society becomes increasingly urban, domestic cats are spending more of their time in houses and apartments. It is not unusual in some settings, for a cat to live its entire life within the confines of a given house or apartment. Such intramural existence presents ever-increasing problems associated with the disposal of cat excreta.
Heretofore, it has been common for cat owners to provide their pets with a litter box, typically a shallow tray filled with sand or one of the various commercially available absorbent materials. The cat litter box is generally unsightly, dusty and odiferous and must be cleaned regularly if the cat is to use it. The various tasks associated with the cleaning and disposal of the contents of a litter box are one of the more unpleasant aspects of cat ownership. In addition to being a nuisance, disposal of cat wastes can be a health hazard. It has been found that cat feces can in some instances contain infectious agents harmful to humans. For example, it has been found that toxoplasmosis, an infection caused by the protozoan Toxoplasmosis gondii can be transmitted to humans from cat feces. This highly contagious agent can cause significant harm to various organs and is particularly harmful to pregnant women insofar as the infection can be transmitted, often with severe results, to a fetus.
Accordingly, it will be appreciated that there is a need for a cat litter system which will minimize human contact with cat excreta and which will present a sanitary and aesthetically pleasing aspect. Many approaches to the problem of cat litter have been implemented. There are various litter boxes which provide a shielded and/or deodorized environment. U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,731 discloses a cat litter system having a dual-tray and bag arrangement. The first tray is perforated and holds a body of cat litter material. The perforations allow urine to pass therethrough into an absorbent lined holding bag therebeneath. The first tray and bag are supported in a second tray. Disposal of cat waste from this system still entails direct contact with litter material and further necessitates washing of the various components.
Various approaches to disposable litter systems have also been implemented. In some instances, disposable plastic liners are placed in litter trays to contain litter for disposal. Problems with these liners arise because cats are prone to claw holes in them. U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,567 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,603 both disclose litter trays fabricated from a disposable material and include therewith a plastic bag for disposal of the used litter. While both of these inventions minimize contact with litter .and washing of litter trays, both leave the litter exposed to the ambient environment during use. Furthermore, it has been found that cats are prone to scatter litter about and spray urine while using such unshielded open trays.
Another approach to the problem of cat litter is represented in U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,839 which shows a cat litter disposal system configured to be hidden beneath a table and shielded from view by a table cloth. The cat litter system of the '839 patent further includes a litter tray disposed within a bag which is supported from its exterior by the framework of the table. This approach shields the litter box from view and prevents the dissemination of odor and infectious material. However, disposal of litter still entails dumping and washing of the tray. Furthermore, it has been found that plastic bag protectors of the type shown in the '839 patent are frequently torn by cats' claws with the resultant spillage of waste materials and release of odors.
Yet another litter box assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,935. The litter box thereof is comprised of a rigid frame which is inserted into, and supported by, a plastic bag. The frame of the '935 patent includes a tray-like base portion with side portions extending therefrom. The frame must be fully erected before insertion into the bag, which makes use of the assembly difficult. Additionally, this particular litter box assembly relies upon the tensile strength of the bag to provide structural integrity.
It should be appreciated from the foregoing that there is still a need for an easy to install, use and dispose cat litter system which provides a relatively enclosed environment so as to minimize the spread of infectious organisms, odors and dust and to cover the unsightly aspects of the litter box. It is further desired that any such cat litter system should minimize the handling of soiled material. It would be of great commercial advantage to have a cat litter system which is cheaply produced and compact to store, which properties would lend the system to being marketed as a disposable item.
The present invention provides for an improved refuse collection and disposal container which is ideally suited for use as a litter box for cats and other such animals. The present invention comprehends a litter system comprised of a generally moisture impervious, bag-like member supported by an internal skeleton. The bag and skeleton cooperate to provide a totally enclosed environment for containing cat litter and waste. The system eliminates both the sight and smell of cat litter and the handling thereof. Furthermore, the litter system of the present invention is simple to produce and use and may be fabricated from relatively low cost materials so as to provide a readily disposable item. These and other advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the drawings, discussion, description and claims which follow.